1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a distribution system for handling wastewater from septic systems to distribute such wastewater into the surrounding soil or leaching field. The present invention more particularly relates to a distribution system that increases the effluent holding capacity of an existing or new septic system and the ability of such septic system to disperse effluent into the surrounding leaching field. The present disclosure still more particularly relates to a modular or unitary fluid distribution system that increases exposure of effluent in a septic system to the surrounding leeching field to facilitate dispersion of effluent into such field.
The fluid distribution system has broad applicability to any system in which waste water, effluent or runoff from a building, is to be collected and dispersed into a leaching field in the ground.
2. Description of the Related Art
Septic systems are well known in the art. One such septic system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,661 to Nichols, et al. (hereinafter “Nichols”). Nichols discloses a leaching system conduit made from a thermoplastic member having lateral sidewalls with a number of apertures. The thermoplastic member is an arch shaped member in cross section and has the apertures for the passage of liquid therethrough. The lateral sidewalls also have a number of corrugations formed in a rectangular shaped manner.
Such septic systems are deficient in their operation. First, zoning ordinances for certain sized homes require larger septic systems. Such larger septic systems may not fit on the desired building lot. A large number of bedrooms in a new home construction require, according to some zoning laws, that a certain sized septic system be used or that the certain sized septic system have a predetermined volume. This can be problematic under certain circumstances because the desired septic system may not fit in a certain lot and the new home owner may be limited to only a second sized septic system that is less than desired. With this smaller septic system, the new home builder thus must reduce the size of the new home. Second, in other circumstances homeowners may wish to expand the capacity of the septic system in a retrofit manner from a first size to another second larger size to accommodate a larger home.
However, a known problem in the art is that under this arrangement, the second larger sized septic system, such as Nichols' leaching system, will require the homeowner to excavate the leaching system and remove the leaching system. Thereafter, the homeowner will have to remove additional soil and dirt and then insert a new second sized larger septic system. Further, the homeowner may have to perform additional work to the home to accommodate the home with this replacement and further obtain all of the requisite permits and variances to the zoning laws.
Accordingly, there is a need for at least one modular component that connects to an existing fluid chamber of a septic system that increases an amount of holding capacity of effluent and permits rapid dispersion of such effluent into the surrounding leaching field. The at least one modular component can be attached to an existing septic system of a house to accommodate more living area in such a house, such as an addition. There is also a need for a septic system that does not require replacement of the entire septic system when additional capacity in such system is needed. There is a further need for a septic system to which modular components can be connected to expand the holding and dispersion capacity of such septic system. There is a further need for a septic system that is entirely unitary and has a smaller foot print.
There is also a need for such a system that eliminates one or more of the aforementioned drawbacks and deficiencies of the prior art.